Maine LD 525 is an Act to Promote Industrial Hemp. It recently passed out the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry by a vote of 9-1. It will soon head to the full house for a debate and vote.

Under current Maine law, hemp is legal for certain purposes, though the law mandates that an individual can’t receive a license to grow until federal law changes – this measure would remove that requirement, and would allow farmers in the state to begin cultivating hemp this year.

Your help is needed right now to move this legislation forward!

1. Contact your STATE representative. Strongly, but respectfully, let them know that you want a YES vote on LD525. This bill is important for Maine farmers, it’s important for jobs, and it’s important for the economy.

2. Share this information widely. Please pass this along to your friends and family. Also share it with any and all grassroots groups you’re in contact with around the state. Please encourage them to email this information to their members and supporters.

ADDITIONAL READING AND RESOURCES

The federal Controlled Substance Act included hemp as a Schedule I drug in 1970. The feds consider growing it without a DEA issued permit a crime. The feds have only issued one such permit, to Hawaii, back in 1999. It has since expired. This has created a de-fact federal ban on growing the plant. And as a result, the United States is the world’s #1 importer of hemp, while China and Canada are the top 2 exporters. Some supporters say that nullifying this federal ban would be a huge win for jobs, for American farmers, and for the economy.

LD 525 seeks to nullify the unconstitutional federal ban on the production hemp. The federal government lacks the constitutional authority to regulate the production of hemp, or any agricultural product, within a state’s borders, and LD525 rests on solid ground.

HEMP OVERVIEW AND USE

Industrial hemp is not marijuana, but an industrial agricultural product used for a wide variety of purposes, including the manufacture of cordage of varying tensile strength, durable clothing and nutritional products. During World War II, the United States military relied heavily on hemp products, which resulted in the famous campaign and government-produced film, “Hemp for Victory!“

Even though soil, climate and agricultural capabilities could make the United States a massive producer of industrial hemp, today no hemp is grown for public sale, use and consumption within the United States. China is the world’s greatest producer and the United States is the #1 importer of hemp and hemp products in the world.

Since the enactment of the unconstitutional federal controlled-substances act in 1970, the Drug Enforcement Agency has prevented the production of hemp within the United States. Many hemp supporters feel that the DEA has been used as an “attack dog” of sorts to prevent competition with major industries where American-grown hemp products would create serious market competition: Cotton, Paper/Lumber, Oil, and others.